Switch mechanism



July 31, 1923.

9 4 ,6,M `1 \lll% N HIIHW l l n 50 4.||||/ mi .M A 5 D 7 w 4 5 Il' LEWIS L. EVANS, OF BRIDGEPORCONNECTICUT, ND GE BARRE, ENNSYLVNA.

a n1. na, or wir.-

SWITCH MECHNISM.

appneaaon mea my 1o, 1920. aerial no. esac.

To aZZwhomz'tm/ay comm.'

Be it known that we, LEWIS L. EVANS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport,y count of Fairfield, State 0f Connecticut, and ERALD M. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilkes- Barre, county of Luzerne, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Switch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification. y e

The object of the present invention is to Vprovide improved electric switch mechanism which is simple and practical in construction and efficient and dependable in use.

With the above and other objects .in view 'We have devised the novel mechanism which will n ow be fully described and will hereinafter be specifically claimed. In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, Fig; 1 is anl elevation of a lamp socket of the lever type in which-is incorporated the novel vswitch mechanism;

Fig. 2 a longitudinal, vertical section, on greatly enlarged scale, of the socket of Fig. 3 a section-on linel 3-3 in Fig. 2, looking in the Idirection of the arrows;

Fig. 4, a section Online 4-4 in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

` Fig. 5, an elevation of a lamp socket ofthe pull type, a part being broken awayv to show the manner of incorporating the improved mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the contact 4wheel and its associated parts.

10 denotes a switch shell, and 11 denotes insulation. Our novel switch mechanism is carried by an upper insulating block 12 and a lower insulating block 13 which are incorporated in the switch shell. The insulating blocks are held in proper positions with respect to each other by a supporting post 14 and by binding posts 15 and 16 which carry binding screws 17 and 18, respectively. A screw shell 19 is supported by thelower insulating block in usual manner and has con-4 tact with binding post 15 by meansof screw 20 which passes through the lower insulating block and engagesboth the screw. shell and binding post 15, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4. As'disclosed in Fig. 2, the upper insulating block is centrally apertured as indicated at 21 and the lower insulating block is also centrally apertured to receive a metal bushing 22 which is 'itself provided with an opening designated 23. The center contact, denoted by 24, is carried by metal bushing 22, and a shaft 25 on which are located the contact wheel and associated parts has bearings in the aperture in the upper insulating block and in opening 23 in bushing. 22. The shaft is rotatably-arrangedin its bearings and fixedly carries the contact wheel and its associated parts. l

The contact wheel, as clearly disclosed in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6, vconsists of'insulating material, denoted by 26, and rotary contacts of metal denoted `by 27. The rotary contacts aresa-rc shaped arms which are arranged at diametrically opposite points in the outer portion of the contact wheel, as shown, and extend in opposite directions from a connecting strip 29 on shaft 25. The shaft thus comprises the core of the rotary contacts. The contact wheel, including the insulating material and rotary contacts, has

its outer portion beveled to V shape, as indi- J cated by 30, and theportions'of theinsulating material and of the rotary contacts of metal which 11e in the perimeter of the wheel are Hush with each other.

the connecting strip, designated 29, may be of the thicknessv of the wheel, or of less thickness. When of less thickness, its upper and lower surfaces will be covered by the insulating material of the wheel. A spring arm bracket 31 attached to binding post 16 carries a fixed contact member or pulley 32. The spring arm bracket is provided With attachlng ears 33 between which the pulley is positioned. A pin 34 passing through the center of the pulley and/through the ears rotatably supports the fixed contact member or pulley. The pulley is arranged at a proper That is, the Vouter portion of thewheel provides a smooth and even surface. It will be apparent that position on binding post 16 so that-it may engage the V`shaped portion of the contacte? wheel, and as more clearly shown inFig. 2, F

the perimetenof the fixed contact member` or pulley is, 'of such shape' las. to fit snugly against said AV-shaped portion, as' will be readily understood.

The contact wheel carries an upper ratchet 35and a lower ratchet 36, which are preferably composed of insulating material. As clearly disclosedin Figs. 2 and 6, the

ratchets are spaced from the contact wheel by disk shaped shoulders 55. The shoulders can, however, be dispensed with.y As shown, the contact wheel, the disk shaped f shoulders and the ratchets. are preferably moulded about the rotary contacts and form a balanced unit. 'lhe upper ratchet affords a ready means for actuating the contact wheel. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, an operating lever 37 has an enlarged portion 38 with an opening 39 through which shaft freely passes. A coil spring 40 arranged on the shaft has one ot its ends secured to the upper insulating block, as indicated at 41, and its other end secured to the operating lever, Vas indicated at 42. A Hat spring 43 secured to the underside of the operating lever has its outer end 44 arranged so that it will engage the shoulders, denoted by. 45, of upper ratchet 35. A suitable slot 46, is provided in the switch shell for throwing the operating lever. The

switch mechanism of F ig. 5 is in all re` spects similar to that of the other figures. A quadrant 47 rotatably mounted on shaft 25 1s provided with a pull chain or cord 48 which freely passes through an opening 49 in the switch shell. The quadrant carries a dat spring 43 which is arranged to engage the shoulders of the upper ratchet as in the case of the similar spring of the other figures. llt will be apparent that when the operating lever is moved from its dotted line position in F ig. 3 to its full line position in said figure, the flat spring,` by reason of its engagement with a shoulder on the upper ratchet, will cause the contact wheel to make a quarter turn. When the operating lever is released, it will be returned by the coil spring in a well known manner to the dotted line position, the outer portion of spring 43 riding up over the cam surface, denoted by 50, of the upper ratchet and positioning itself back of a shoulder 45, as

will be readily understood.

A flat spring 51 is secured in proper position on supporting post 14, as indicated at 52, so that its outer portion 53 may spring back of one of the shoulders, denoted by 54, on the lower ratchet at the end of each actuatio'n of the operating lever and consequent quarter turn of the contact wheel. As has been described, the rotary contacts are at diametricallv opposite sides of the contact wheel. When the Contact wheel is in the position shown in the drawing, that is, when the iXed contact pulley is in engagement with one of the rotary contacts, the circuit is closed. The current passes through binding screw 18, binding post 16, spring arm bracket 31, fixed contact member or pulley 32, one of the rotary contacts, connecting strip29, shaft 25, metal bushing 22, center contact 24, through the lamp, and through screw shell 19, binding'post 15 and tion, we claim:

incassa gagement with. a rotary contact, but will bear against a portion of the insulating material of the contact wheel. The circuit will consequently be opened.

rl`he shoulders on the upper and lower ratchets are arranged with respect to each other so that the position of the contact wheel with respect to the ixed contact member or pulley is insured. That is, when the switch is in on osition, one of the rotary contacts engages t e fixed contact member or pulley, and when in off osition, the rotary contacts are separated rom the contact pulley, the,7 insulating material of the contact wheeljand the contact pulley then engaging each other. lower ratchet are beveled in suitable manner, to cause flat spring 51 to pass back ot each shoulder of the lower ratchet with a snap.

lit will be evident that the arrangement ofi rotary contacts and contact pulley as hereinbefore fully described a'ords an especially durable switch mechanism tor the reason that there is a rolling connection between said rotary contacts and ulley.

While a specilicembodiment of the invention `has been described, it is to be here understood that such changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made as fall within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of theappend.

ed claims. For example, any convenient means may be employed for actuating the upper ratchet, a plurality of fixed contact pulleys may be employed, or dat sprin 51 may be supported by one of the .bining osts.

p Having thus fully described our inven- 1. lln-a switch mechanism, a rotatable contact wheel the perimeter of vwhich includes contacts and insulating material separating the contacts, insulating .blocksJ supporting .the rotatable contact wheel, upper and lower ratchetsA carried by they contact wheel,

means for actuating the upper ratchet, coi operating means engaging the lower ratchet whereby the proper position of the contact wheel is insured, and a rotatable Contact member having rolling connection with-the contact wheel and adapted to alternately en-V gage said contacts and insulating material.

2. dlln a switch mechanism, a rotatable contact wheel theperimeter of which includes contacts and insulating material separating the contacts, insulating blocks supporting the rotatable contact-wheel, upper and lower ratchets integrally carried by the contact wheel, means for actuating the upper ratchet The shoulders of the lll@ and cooperating means engaging the lower ratchet 1n such manner that the proper position of the contact wheel is insured.`

3. In a switch mechanism, a rotatable contact wheel the perimeter of which is spaced at uniform distance from the wheel center and includes contacts and insulating material spacing the contacts from each other, a rotatable contact member bearin a anst the perimeter of the contact w ee and adapted to alternately engage and have rolling connection with the contacts and insusaid upper ratchet for actuating said contact l5 wheel, and a sto cooperating with said lower ratchet for lnsuring that the contact wheel will remain in any position to which rotated.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

LEWIS L. EVANS, GERALD M. HART. 

